PHILIPPI, W.Va. (WBOY) — Several schools in north central West Virginia are offering scholarships, guaranteed housing, free and expedited enrollment, and more as students are forced to make a quick transition before the fall 2023 semester begins.
Alderson Broaddus University (AB) in Philippi, West Virginia has its authorization to award degrees revoked by the Higher Education Policy Commission on Monday. Only students who are scheduled to graduate by the end of 2023 will be allowed to remain at the school, meaning that hundreds of students will have to transfer before classes start later this month. Here are some nearby schools that are offering to make the transition as painless as possible for students.
West Virginia Wesleyan College
Located approximately 22 miles (36 minutes) away in Buckhannon, West Virginia Wesleyan is a private, Methodist-affiliated college that has around 1,000 students. WV Wesleyan released a statement on Monday, saying it is “ready to serve all current or incoming Alderson Broaddus students at this difficult time.” For transferring AB students, Wesleyan is offering:
- Free priority application
- Guaranteed housing placement
- “Robust” financial aid opportunities
Students interested in attending WV Wesleyan can find more information at the college’s website or contact 304-473-8510.
Davis & Elkins College
Similar to Alderson Broaddus and Wesleyan, Davis & Elkins is a small private institution in rural West Virginia. Located in Elkins, it is approximately 28 miles (38 minutes) away from AB’s campus. In a statement released Monday, D&E said that it will offer “a rapid admission process and offer the tools and resources for student success” to any AB student who wants to transfer there.
Transferring students should contact Chanda Collette, Collettec@dewv.edu or 304-637-1429, and new students should contact Angie Scott, scotta3@dewv.edu or 304-637-1983 for admissions information. D&E does not offer graduate programs.
Fairmont State University
Fairmont State is a public university with just over 3,500 students; it is located approximately 32 miles (49 minutes) from AB. The university said in a news release on Tuesday, “We empathize with the distress the AB community must be feeling, and while we can’t mitigate their shock, we hope to ease some of the uncertainty and fear Alderson Broaddus students might be experiencing.”
Fairmont State said it has created a “tailored plan” for AB students who transfer there that includes:
- Free and streamlined application
- Automatic acceptance for new students who can provide a copy of their admit letter from AB
- Admissions decisions within 48 hours
- Battler Transfer Scholarship: A one-time $1,000 scholarship for AB students who commute to Fairmont for Fall 2023 or a one-time $2,000 for AB students who transfer and live on Fairmont State’s campus. The scholarship is available for transfer students and first-time freshmen and can be used in addition to other financial aid.
AB students interested in transferring to Fairmont State should contact Lisa Jones at Lisa.Jones@fairmontstate.edu or 304-367-4855. Fairmont’s Fall 2023 semester begins Aug. 21.
Salem University
Located in Salem, Harrison County, Salem University is located approximately 40 miles (47 minutes) from AB’s campus. The private institution is roughly the same size student body-wise as AB. In a Facebook post on Monday, Salem University said it will welcome AB students by working with them on a priority basis and helping maximize credit transfer for students and student-athletes. For more information, visit the university’s website.
Glenville State University
Located approximately 71 miles (1 hour 20 minutes) from AB, Glenville State is a small public institution that recently gained university status and has about 1,500 students. Like other local schools, Glenville announced on Tuesday that it will work with transferring AB students to make the transition easier by offering:
- Free, expedited enrollment
- Guaranteed housing placement
- Scholarship for all AB students (although the announcement did not give a specific amount) in addition to “equivalent financial aid packaging”
Interested students should contact admissions@glenville.edu or call 304-642-6130.
Glenville State also announced on Wednesday that is has extended its registration period beyond the first day of classes to accommodate AB students.
And on Thursday, university president Mark Manchin said in an interview with 12 News that Glenville is also allowing students to move into campus and register for classes even before their transcripts arrive.
West Virginia University at Parkersburg
West Virginia University at Parkersburg (WVUP), which is separate from WVU, released a statement on Tuesday offering to support AB students. It said that the admissions office will help guide AB students through the transition.
WVUP is a community college located approximately 97 miles (1 hour and 42 minutes) from Philippi. It has fewer than 2,000 students and many of them live off campus or commute. It is known for being affordable and boasts that more than half of its students graduate debt free. For more information, contact WVUP’s admissions office at 304-424-8310 or admissions@wvup.edu.
Bethany College
Bethany, which is in Brooke County in West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle, is holding several virtual informational meetings to guide AB students who are considering transferring there through the admissions and financial process. Meetings will be held at noon and 6 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 3 over Zoom. Additionally, Bethany is offering:
- A financial aid package, reviewing your transcript, and assigning you housing within 24 hours
- A promise to “meet 100% of Alderson Broaddus students’ financial needs”
- Free housing for one semester for AB students who are facing lease agreement challenged in Philippi
The link for the Zoom meetings is available here.
Bethany is a small Christian-affiliated liberal arts college that has less than 1,000 students.
Point Park University
Although not in West Virginia, Point Park University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania also announced on Tuesday that it will also be offering benefits for transferring AB students. “A lot of us have college-age children, and a member of our leadership team has a son in his senior year at ABU,” President Chris W. Brussalis said in the release. “We have an entire team of people here who also understand the stress and anxieties that can impact college students, and we stand ready to help anyone who reaches out to us.”
Point Park is located in downtown Pittsburgh, approximately 114 miles (2 hours and 5 minutes) from AB, and has about 2,500 students. Students who transfer from AB can expect:
- Expedited admission process
- Discounted housing
The release also encouraged student-athletes to check out the athletic opportunities at Point Park by contacting Athletic Director John Ashaolu. Students with questions can call 412-392-3430.
Frostburg State University
Frostburg State in Frostburg, Maryland announced Tuesday afternoon that it will be holding a virtual event where AB students can learn about opportunities at FSU, such as scholarship eligibility and credit transfer. The event is only for Alderson Broaddus students, the release said, and will take place on Thursday, Aug. 3 from 3 to 3:45 p.m. Students can register at this link.
Frostburg State is a public university in Western Maryland that has just under 5,000 students. It is located about 101 miles (1 hour and 47 minutes) from AB’s campus and is in the same sports conference as many West Virginia schools, including AB—the Mountain Easter Conference.
For more information about Thursday’s virtual event, students should contact Robert Fuller at rafuller@frostburg.edu.
Seton Hill University
Seton Hill in Greensboro, Pennsylvania announced on Wednesday that it is also willing to help AB students transfer seamlessly. The small, private, Catholic university said in a Facebook post that it will offer the following to AB students:
- Expedited admissions and transfer process
- Generous financial aid packages
- Free housing for one semester for any AB student who signed an off-campus lease in Philippi that they cannot break
The post also said that it has several staff openings and encouraged AB faculty and staff to apply.
Located east of Pittsburgh, Seton Hill is approximately 102 miles (2 hours and 4 minutes) from Philippi.
